How Donald, Fat Amy and Benji Saved my Relationship
by With a Sprinkle of Winter
Summary: How Beca and Jesse got to the kiss after the ICCA's. The title could be seen as both POVs. The story switches POV's, without warning. Rated T for language. Please review!


_**Yo! Sorry, it's been a while. I recently saw Pitch Perfect, and this bit of the story appealed to me. Enjoy! And, if it suits your fancy, check out my Night Circus fics. **_

_**I recommend listening to the song "Come Round Soon while reading the lyric bit of this chapter.**_

_**Read on!**_

_**(I don't happen to randomly own the rights to Pitch Perfect. Nope. Not even a little bit. I wish.)**_

Fat Amy had always been able to tell when I was down about Jesse. It was like she had a compass telling her when he hadn't called me, when he'd ignored me, and when he just acted so cheerful I wanted to rip his balls off. This had always been true. I had a feeling it would always be.

So when I walked into Bellas practice the day after what we collectively dubbed 'the pool mash-up,' I practically knew what she would say. No, scratch that. I _did _know what she would say. I always did. Fat Amy just had a way of saying everything I wanted to, but in a more blunt and open way. And she actually said what I wanted to say.

"Jesse hasn't called back then, flatbutt?" She called this to me across a room full of gossipy girls. She did this so I would sit next to her to make her shut up. She knew me too well. "Of course not," I mumbled forlornly once I'd reached her. Did she really think he would? I had treated him like crap. I'd pushed him away, I'd denied him the only part of me he wanted. I'd torn him down. _Of course _he wouldn't have called me back.

Everyone was on the lookout for Aubrey as soon as the clock struck 2 pm. She seemed to have forgotten that she had relinquished leadership of the Bellas to me. Aubrey was perfectly on time, so Fat Amy was forced to cut our conversation short. Not that I was complaining. The first words out of Aubrey's mouth are never pleasant. Today was no different.

"All right, aca-bitches!" Reaching the front of the room, she turned to face her semi-apprehensive audience. The determination in her voice surprised no one. "We've got to start thinking about Finals! Any ideas?" This last bit was accompanied by a foreboding glare aimed at Fat Amy. She had suggested letting her crowd surf twice already.

"Maybe we could have a theme to narrow it down?" That was Chloe. Ever practical Chloe. She balanced Fat Amy nicely. "I think our theme should be 'Try to Get Beca and Jesse Back Together!'" This was Fat Amy again. The words were out of my mouth before I'd thought them through. "No! No. That-that wouldn't work. No way. No."

Incredulous looks. From every single person in the room. From Lilly to Cynthia Rose to Aubrey. _Aubrey_, for crying out loud! "I think it's worth a shot." Lilly whispered.

"Yeah!" Stacie chimed in. "How else are you guys going to get rid of your UST?"

"US-what?" Cried Aubrey.

"Unresolved Sexual Tension," everyone chimed. I blushed.

"The point stands!" Fat Amy was adamant about this. "Jesse's confused about Beca, but he'll let her back in if she shows him she cares. What better way to show you care, Bec?"

At this, I was stumped. Amy was right. I couldn't think of abetter way to show Jesse how much I cared for him. Not that I would tell _her _that, of course. I simply let my silence speak for me.

"All right then!" Fat Amy roared. There was no point in protesting. There was no way I would. In just a few short months, Jesse Swanson had become one of the most important people in my world. There was no way I was willing to let him go. "Pick a song, Mitchell," Cynthia Rose called to me from across the room.

After a moment of pause, I spoke. "Don't you forget about me."

"Why?" Stacie wanted to know.

"Because the Breakfast Club is our movie." I replied with a shrug.

"Right then." Aubrey clapped her hands together in anticipation. "Where should we start?"

Jesse Swanson walked into practice 5 minutes late, only to see a dry and sober Donald standing before the Trebles, calling them to order. It seemed he had taken over Jesse's leadership of the group. Not that Jesse was complaining. It wasn't like he was really capable of leading the Trebles himself. Benji and Donald liked to say he was 'heartsick.'

Of course, he was. Beca Mitchell had stepped on his heart, when all he'd done was try to help. She'd turned up, asking for his forgiveness, but he was done playing her games. She needed to let herself open up. He'd tried to help her do it, but she'd just pushed him away. He missed her. He ached for her, feeling her absence from his life every minute. But to hell if he would let his teammates see it. They needed him. He couldn't let them down now.

Apparently, Donald had been waiting for him, for as soon as he took his seat, the bespectacled man began to speak. "Okay, everyone, listen up!" The room fell quiet. "We have one more gig before the ICCA's. It's with some sorority I forget the name of, but they're going to see us here on campus. I was wondering if any of you had an idea, or does Jesse have to come up with the set himself?"

No one responded, so Donald sent everyone to have free time, and called Jesse over to talk about ideas for the set. After a minute, Benji approached them. "Yo, Benji. What's up?" Jesse said. The young man looked apprehensive. "I-I have a song idea." Donald jerked his head up, an expectant expression forming on his face. Benji took a deep breath. "Come Round Soon, by Sara Barielles." Jesse furrowed his brow. He was unfamiliar with this artist, had never even heard of her. "Why, Benji?" Donald asked, furrowing his brow. He jerked his head towards the beer cooler, an obvious sign for Jesse to go and get them drinks.

As soon as Jesse was out of earshot, Benji took the lyrics of the song from his pocket, showing them to Donald. As he read them over, Benji whispered, "Fat Amy says she'll get Beca to attend our gig. Their set for the ICCA's will have a solo from Beca to Jesse. I figured she needed to hear this, and to have Jesse sing to her."

"Here you go, dudes." Jesse pressed a beer bottle into Donald's and Benji's hands. Taking a swig from his own, he turned to survey his teammates. "So, guys, do we have a song?" Jesse spoke without turning to face his intended audience. "Yeah, I think we do, Jess." Donald said, smiling knowingly at Benji.

I felt reasonably prepared for the ICCA's. We had another two practices until then anyway. I felt the most okay I'd felt in weeks, almost forgetting the absence of Jesse, and how much I hated myself because I had caused it. Oops. There it was again.

That night, I let Fat Amy drag me to a sorority party on campus. I was perfectly fine even though she abandoned me five minutes in. I mingled with the girls at the party, many of whom I'd never seen before. I _was _fine, up until the band came up to preform. Guess who? The Barden Treblemakers. Crap. And Jesse was soloing. Even better.

As the first a Capella beats started up, I made my way to the edge of the crowd, ready to sprint for the door. And then, I heard the first lines.

_I could use another cigarette_

_But don't worry Daddy,_

_I'm not addicted_

_One too many drinks tonight_

_And I miss you_

_Like you were mine_

I stopped dead. Turning to face Jesse, I could've sword his eyes were on mine. I stared at him until he saw me, faltering for the smallest instant, then he picked up the song again. I'd missed most of the first verse. The first chorus was just for me.

_She's taking_

_And leaving _

_And I keep believing_

_That she's gonna come 'round soon_

Each of his words carried so much pain, and I felt so heavy for giving him that pain. His eyes never left mine for the rest of the song. He sang to me of his heartache, of his sorrow. Of his confusion. I let the tears fall down my face, for him to see.

_You may be my final match_

_'Cause I chase everything_

_When you play throw_

_And I play catch_

_Never took much to keep me satisfied_

_But all the bullshit you feed me_

_You miss me, you need me_

_This hungry heart will not subside_

_She's taking_

_And leaving_

_But I keep believing_

_That she's gonna come 'round soon_

_Until I see her again_

_I'm staying_

_Believing _

_That it won't be deceiving_

_When she's gonna come 'round soon_

_Oh, I may seem naïve if I cry as you leave_

_Like I'm just one more tortured heart_

_These cracks that I show as I'm watching you go are tearing me apart_

_I may seem naïve if I cry as you leave _

_Like I'm just one more tortured heart_

_These cracks that I show as I'm watching you go are tearing me apart_

_The angel said_

_I'd smile today_

_Who needs angels anyway?_

_She's taking and leaving_

_But I keep believing _

_That she's gonna come 'round soon_

_Until I see her again_

_I'm staying_

_Believing_

_That it won't be deceiving_

_When she's gonna come 'round soon_

_She's taking_

_And leaving_

_But I keep believing_

_That she's gonna come 'round soon_

_Until I see her again_

_Oh, I keep staying_

_Believing_

_That it won't be deceiving_

_When she's gonna come 'round soon_

_I could use another cigarette_

Jesse met my eyes once more before I collapsed into full-on sobs, and he was enveloped by the crowd. I felt Fat Amy's warm arms pick me up and carry me to my dorm, much to the annoyance of Kimmie Jin. I didn't open my eyes until bright the next morning, trying to keep Jesse's beautiful (if sorrowful) face behind my eyelids for as long as possible.

I'm glad I got to tell her how I feel. She was crying the whole way through, and I felt so bad that I'd turned her away, but how did I know she wasn't going to hurt me again? Donald and Benji kind of sprung it on me that Beca was going to be at our gig. After the fact. I missed a beat when I caught sight of her, my heart beating double pace to the music.

I was too tired after the party from being mad at Benji and Donald, so Benji and I went straight to bed. Fat Amy shot me a glare as she carried a sobbing Beca away to her dorm, and aside from her being in the larger girl's arms, I don't think she had ever been any more beautiful, or any more open. The Bellas did her good. Maybe she could learn to open up someday, if not to me, then at least to someone deserving.

_Deep breath, Beca, _I reminded myself. I was on the stage, amidst my friends. _No need to panic, Beca. _Aubrey and Chloe started the song, bringing an anticlimactic opening to our set. Then came Lilly and Cynthia Rose, effectively shocking everyone with our change of pace. Then it was me. I tried to catch his eye, but he wasn't looking at us. _This is for you, Jess. _I thought. _"Won't you, come see about me, I'll be alone, dancing, you know it baby" _I saw his head jerk up. That dorky, perfect grin spread across his face. As I continued with the song, searching for his eyes, I saw his fist, raised in a perfect imitation of Judd Nelson. I raised my hand simultaneously, a grin on my face as big as his. I could've sworn Fat Amy was the Cheshire cat just then.

_She finished the Breakfast Club! _This was my only thought as my fist raised itself in perfect time with hers. I was grinning until the end. You could really tell she cared about her teammates, their talents shone through so clearly. One tear escaped my eye, and my throat closed. How could I have thought she didn't care? _Of course she cared. _I sniffled. No more tears came that night. I was happy, then elated.

The transition was when she kissed me. She _kissed me, _in front of everyone! Pure, unfiltered elation. She grinned against my lips, and I sighed. She had taken so much weight off my shoulders just then.

I was still grinning almost an hour later, at the afterparty for the competition. Beca was at my side, holding my hand, chatting with everyone as if we'd been together years. "Yo Beca! Nice job, winning and all!" This is classic Benji. He thinks he's being cool, but it's obvious he would've preferred if we'd won. Donald follows behind, grinning from ear to ear, Fat Amy in tow. She's looking so smug I can tell Beca wants to punch her.

"You're welcome, flatbutt!" These are the words she chose to say to Beca. Beca. Violent, confusing, angry Beca. (But only when she wants to be.) This specific Beca's eyes narrowed. I could tell she was preparing herself to be angry. "What?" The word comes out of my kind-and-gracious-only-seconds-ago girlfriend coolly molten and seething.

"See, we arranged it so that you'd be at our gig to see Jesse sing, and remember it was Fat Amy who suggested you serenade Jesse in your song?" Benji hastily explains to Beca how they were the ones who set us up_. Bad move, bro. _I thought sympathetically to him.

To my surprise, Beca smiled at him, a wide, innocent simile. Too innocent. Benji relaxed, thinking that he has successfully avoided a punch. Fat Amy quietly helped herself to popcorn and soda at the nearby food table. Donald looked blissfully ignorant.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. _Three sharp, unavoidable punches to the gut. Donald looked up with watering eyes, narrowing them to glare at me. Benji lay winded on the ground, gasping for breath. Fat Amy simply coughed up a piece of popcorn and swung a punch in Beca's direction, a punch which she thankfully ducked.

She let them get up in peace, really smiling this time. She leaned up and kissed me on the ear. "Tell them thanks," she whispered, her breath spilling out onto my ear. She then left to celebrate with her friends, taking Fat Amy with her. I extended a hand to help Benji up. "Thanks, though, guys." I tell them. "Really."

"Oof. It was nothing. Man, your girlfriend throws a mean punch!" Donald replied, patting me on the shoulder. He wandered off to find Lilly. I turned to Benji. "You okay, dude?" He looked at me like I was carrying a disease. "

"What? Why wouldn't I?" I furrowed my brow.

"Nah. It's just, you've loved Beca since you first saw her. Who wouldn't feel a little _too _lucky after that? I feel so lucky to be here. I can only imagine you feel the same." Benji shrugged. I turned to face him. "Benji, Beca is my world. She is just _everything_ to me. If she can see something she likes in me enough to be with me, then that's good enough for me." I took him by the shoulders and spun him toward the cluster of girls known as the Barden Bellas. "Now go chat up Aubrey. She's right next to Chloe, the redhead."

He stumbled towards the girls, stopping only once to look over his shoulder at me. I followed behind him, walking purposefully, and rested my arms around Beca's waist once I reached her. She tensed, but continued her conversation. I rested my chin on her shoulder, smiling at the girls around Beca. She fit in my arms perfectly, like I was built to hold her. In this moment everything seemed rich, and full and beautiful, simply because one small woman named Beca Mitchell was in my arms.

_**Alright, so watcha think? I'm a little rusty, and I'd like to know what you thought. (Scale of 1-10?) Please let me know what you thought of the story! Any constructive criticism is welcome, 'cause I can't fix anything if I don't know what's wrong! REVIEW!**_


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